Device for treating chocolate confections and the like



Sept. 23 1924.

'J. E. DAVIS DEVICE FOR TREATING CHOCOLATE CONFECTIONS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 1, 1922' 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 W I I JJHA/ f INVENTOR.

I BY %/h A TTORNE Y.

Sept. 23, 1924. 1,509,591

J. E. DAVIS DEVICE FOR TREATING CHOCOLATE CONFECTIONS AND THE LIKE [110d Dec. 1, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 vIIIIII IIHH M IN V EN TOR.

' ATTORNEY.

. J. E. DAVIS DfiVICE FOR TREATING CHOCOLATE CONFECTIONS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 1, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

/ ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 23, 1924..

UNITED STATES 1,509,591 PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. DAVIS, or cmomna'rr, omo.

.nnvIoE roe. TREATING-- cnocona'rn conrnc'rrons ND THE LIKE Application filed December 1, 1922 Serial No. 604,243.

1 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known tha't 'I, JOHN E. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Device for Treating Chocolate Confections and the like, of which the following is a specification.

An object of my invention is to provide a simple and efficient device for treating confections in the nature ed candies, cakes, etc. I

Another object of my invention is to pro vide a device whereby to eliminate several of the steps heretofore employed in accom plishing the same result, and to also reduce the labor factor.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for the purposes stated, requiring a minimum of space within which to operate.

Another object of my invention is to expedite the treatment of such confections, and to reduce thecost of production of same.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a fragmental perspective view of a device employed in the coating of confections of the class referred to.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental view of part of the device shown in Fig. 1 and which with Fig. 1 discloses a complete operative device.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental, enlarged, side elevation of a drum and driving means therefor. forming details of my invention.

Fig. 4c is a rear end elevation of the device shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmental sectional plan view of a cooling tunnel forming a detail of my of chocolates, coatinvention.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is'a sectional view on line 7--7 of Fig. 6.

My invention comprises. a series of cooperating mechanisms that successively operate upon articles to be treated with chocolate and the like. A setting up device or aligner 8 places articles upon a conveyor 9. The conveyor 9 carries the articles to a coating device 10 for coating the bases or under sides of the articles with chocolate. The articles are then carried, by means of a conveyor 11, from the base coater 10 to an enrobing device 12 through which the articles pass, and which device is adapted to coat the tops and sides of the articles with chocolate. The articles then pass from the enrobing machine by means of a conveyor belt 13 to a cooling tunnel 14. The setting up device 8, the coating devices 10 and 12, and the conveyors 9 and 11 may be of any of the styles or structures common in the art. Heretofore it was the practice for the coated articles leaving the enrober 12, to be placed on trays, which trays were then placed in racks. The racks were then placed in cooling chambers to chill and set the chocolate. In carrying out my invention, a wall or partition 15 separates the room wherein the articles are treated with chocolate from the room containing the cooling tunnel and the rear end of the conveyor 13. The room containing the coating machincry and the cooling tunnel are retained at different temperatures for reasons that will be explained hereafter. The cooling chamber 14 may be of any suitable shape or structure. As disclosed herein it comprises an elongated housing of substantially rectangular cross section, through the lower portion of which the belt conveyor 13 extends. The interior of the tunnel is divided into front; intermediate and rear chambers 18, 19 and 20 respectively. The intermediate chamber contains within it cooling coils 21 through which a cooling medium may be circulated. A suitable drip pan 22 is interposed between the coils and the belt 13.

'A pipe 23 connected with the intermediate nectionbetween the intermediate chamber and the two end chambers is by way of small openings 27 and 28 between the partitions 24, 25 and the bottom 26 of the tunnel.

From the forlegoing it will be apparent that 7 some of the cold air from the'intermediate chamber will find its way into the two end chambers and-from the end chambers will 33 and34 disposed at the rear end of the device. Thebottom of the tunnel is continuous with the. top of the table 35 supfrom the coils 21. The room containing the tunnel forms a part of the air blast conveyor system, the cool air being drawn from this room, by any suitable means such as by conduits and fans. This air is then cooled by any suitable means and is directed into the tunnel by way of the pipe 23. A structure for this purpose is shown. diagrammatically at Fig. 2, and comprises a suitable fan 38 for moving air thru cooling chamber 39 and through which chamber cooling pipes may extend. A shaft 40 driven from the enrober carries at its rear end a universal joint 41, and is adapted to rotatably actuate a worm 42 in driving engagement with a worm wheel 43 carried by the shaft 32. The brackets supporting the shaft 32 are preferably provided with elongated slots 44 throughout the length of which slots the shaft 32 may be adjusted in order to provide the belt 13with the desired tenslon. The operation of my device is as follows:

Articles to be coated are deposited in the oscillating tray 8, and the articles are then fed by conveyors 9 and 11 to and through the coating devices 10 and 12. The articles when fully coated, pass to the conveyor 13 and are carried into the forward chamber 18. The chamber 18 is of a temperature intermediate that of the chamber 20 and the room containing the coating machines, The temperature in the room containing the coating machines is such as not to interfere with the eflicient flow of the chocolate through the coating machines, therefore the temperature of this room is considerably above the temperature in the room containing the tunnel. The temperature in the rear chamber is slightly below that of the room containing the tunnel but higher than the temperature in the intermediate chamber 19. As the articles enter the chamber 18, the conveyor 13, moving slowly, the chocolate coating of the articles gradually cools and begins to set. The setting of the chocolate is at a rate'such as not to cause any unevenness in the surface thereof, this being determined by the temperature in the chamber 18. The articles are then carried into the chamber 19 and pass below the cooling coils whereupon the entire mass of the article, including the chocolate covering, congeals into a solid mass. From the chamber 19 the articles pass into the chamber 20, f

the temperature in the chamber 20 being such as to permit aagradual rise in temperature of the articles to preclude sweating of the articles when the articles pass from the chamber 20 to the room. As the articles then are carriedover the table 35, attendants remove the articles from the belts and pack them in boxes. The temperature in the packing room is such as to preclude softening of the chocolate coatings. The air draft directed into the tunnel expedites the drying and solidifying of the chocolate and articles covered by the chocolate.

lVhat I claim is:

1. A cooling tunnel of the class described comprising a table, a housing carried by the table and forming therewith a chamber, the housing having slots in its opposite ends, a conveyor movable over the table and entering and leaving the chamber by way of the slots in the housing, cooling means within the chamber, and means for creating an air draft in the chamber.

2. In a device of the class described the combination of an elongated table, a drum at one end of the table, an endless belt extending about the drum and supported by the table. a housing supported by the table at one end thereof, the housing and table together forming a chamber, the housing having openings in its opposite ends through which openings the conveyor extends, means within the chamber for cooling the chamber, and 1lgieans for creating an air draft in the cham- 3. In a device of the class described the combination of an elongated table, a drum at one end of the table, an endless belt extending about the drum and supported by the table, a housing supported by the table at one end thereof, the housing and table together forming a chamber, the housing having openings in its opposite ends through which openings the conveyor extends, means within the chamber for cooling the chamber, means for creating an air draft in the chamber, and means for rotatably actuating the drum.

4. In a device of the class described the combination of an elongated table, a housing mounted on the table adjacent one end thereof. the housing having slots in its opposite ends, partitions within the housing extending between the table, the side and the top of the housing, the partitions having notches in their lower edges whereby to provide openings between the chambers formed in the housing, a belt conveyor supported by the table extending through the openings in the end of the housing and through the openings between the chambers in the housing, means to move the belt through the chambers and over the table, and means within one of the chambers in the housin or varying the temperature interiorly and exteriorly of the chambevsin the housing.

} 5. In a device of the class described the combination of a housing havin a plurality of chambers therein a conveyor or carrying articles through the chambers, means associated with the housing for successivel lowering and raising the temperature 0 articles carried through the housing by the con-' veyor, and means for creating an air draft in the several chambers.

6. In a device of the class described the combination of a housing. having a chamber therein and having openings in its op ite ends. a conveyor extending throng the chamber and through the openings in the ends of the housing, the conveyor being adapted to carry confection through the chamber, cooling means within the chamber and an air draft dischargin into the chamber adjacent the end of t e ousing at which the conveyor carries articles into the chamber.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 25th day of November, 1922.

JOHN E. DAVIS. 

